Rajon Rondo's high school coach Steve Smith tells USA TODAY Sports Carmelo Anthony is recruiting the injured Boston Celtics star guard to the New York Knicks.

Steve Smith, Rondo's coach at Oak Hill Academy, tells the newspaper that Anthony thinks "he'll come too." He later added "you never know about that stuff though. I think either way, Rajon will be fine."

Rondo has yet to play this season for the Celtics as he continues to rehab from a torn ACL he suffered last season. The Celtics are hopeful the All-Star guard will be able to take the floor sometime around the New Year.

It's just the kind of career Smith says he always foresaw for Rondo. "At the time that he was here I'd had about five guards that had gone on to the NBA and I thought he was better than all of them," he told USA TODAY. "That's saying a lot because they were great players too. I thought he had a chance be a great player, but I didn't know he was gonna lead the Celtics to a title so soon. But he always had everything to be a special player."

Without Rondo and under rookie coach Brad Stevens, the Celtics have jumped out to a surprising, Atlantic Conference leading 8-12 start. Jeff Green (17 points, five rebounds), Jared Sullinger (13 points, seven rebounds) and Avery Bradley (13 points, four rebounds) have led a balanced Boston attack.

And still Smith is confident that when Rondo returns, injury and all, he will be the added jolt the Celtics need--- at least during the time he's still there.

"I think he should be fine," he told USA TODAY. "He took a long time off and he's rehabbed the right way. Whether he stays in Boston or not who knows... I think either way, Rajon will be fine."